Quakes announce groundbreaking date for new stadium

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club will break ground on its new privately financed 18,000-seat stadium at 1125 Coleman Ave. in San Jose with a public ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 21. To celebrate the landmark event, the Earthquakes will aim to break the Guinness World Record for most people taking part in a groundbreaking ceremony, a figure that stands at 4,532.

The ceremony is free to attend and will take place the same day as the club’s final home match of the MLS regular season, a 4 p.m. PT date with the LA Galaxy, presented by Wells Fargo. The Quakes’ first season in the new stadium is now set for 2014.

Additionally, the Quakes announced that club seats at the new stadium are sold out. With luxury suites and club seats sold out, general seating in the new stadium will go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 23. Current season tickets holders will have first priority to purchase tickets for the new stadium. The priority order will be set based on tenure as a season ticket holder. Season ticket holders will receive more information in the coming week regarding their specific account. In order to reserve a spot in the priority queue for the new stadium, fans can purchase season tickets for 2013, the final season at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Earthquakes are currently taking deposits for season tickets for 2013. Please call 408-556-7700 or visit www.sjearthquakes.com/2013 for more information.

“Our organization strives to be the most inclusive and community-focused professional sports organization in the country,” said Earthquakes Club President Dave Kaval. “Instead of a golden shovel groundbreaking, we wanted everyone in the local community to participate equally in this historic event. The groundbreaking will be a celebration of the robust soccer lineage the Bay Area has cultivated since the original San Jose Earthquakes were founded in 1974. We hope that everyone joins us in this record attempt for a day that no one will forget.”

In order to break the Guinness World Record, participants will need to dig using a commemorative shovel, provided by the Quakes, for two minutes at the site of the groundbreaking. The current record of 4,532 was set on Nov. 17, 2007 in Jaipur, India by Unique Builders. An official judge from Guinness World Records will be on hand to officiate the event. Additionally, participants will be able to take home their shovel as a souvenir from the event. The day will also feature a number of other memorable moments to commemorate the start of the Quakes new world class stadium.

To guarantee a spot in the ceremony, fans should RSVP by registering at www.sjearthquakes.com/groundbreaking. Each fan that registers will receive a voucher via email that needs to be presented on the day of the ceremony. Anyone planning to attend can park for free starting at 10:30 a.m. at the new stadium site on the corner of Coleman Ave. and Newhall Ave. Check-in for diggers begins at 11:30 a.m. To ensure participation, fans should arrive before noon.

Kansas City-based 360 Architecture designed the Earthquakes new stadium, which will be built by Milpitas’ Devcon Construction. 360 Architecture has a track record of developing top-notch sports facilities, including MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, and American Airlines Arena, home of the NBA’s Miami Heat. Devcon Construction has been a leader in the construction industry since it was founded in 1976 and has built over thirty million square feet of office, commercial and industrial space throughout Northern California. Devcon is currently building a new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers in partnership with Turner Construction set to open in 2014.